So was Tom Forrest wrong?

[number8]

Discuss

[kags]

Yes, the man is a contemptible bigot, but sadly the story has unleashed latent (or not so latent)homophobia among many commentators.

[WaldoMcFroog]

You do have to wonder at the sort of person that gets all flustered and bothered about what other consenting adults do with their genitals.

On the other hand, it raises all sorts of questions about people's religious rights. If you're a Muslim or Christian (and doubtless a few others) then your religion demands you condemn homosexuality, and freedom of religious beliefs is supposed to be a part of British law. So what happens when these two opposed lifestyles are both given protection of the law?

Oh well... Ban religion I say - responsible for a damn sight more ills than sticking your winkie up someone else's backside.

[Hippy]

Tom Forrest's knee jerk reaction to a visiting gay couple requesting his double bedded room reveals his own discomfort with issues surrounding homosexuality. He has relished the resulting brouhaha and is presently basking in his fifteen minutes of fame. Lazy media hacks are fanning the flames just now but will move on. Tom Forrest will return to the obscurity of his B&B and Mountaineering shop, but his refusal of the gay couple and his espousal of fame will have a more lasting and negative impression on his little village and maybe tourism into Scotland as a whole.

What Mr. Forrest does within his own four walls is surely his affair. If he should choose to forbid gay men under his duvet that is a matter for him, but seeking a case c�l�bre is an attempt to move the rules of his house to the whole nation that is ultimately doomed to failure.

[andy hughes]

Yes. If Mr Forrest opens his premises to paying guests, and wishes to place restrictions of any kind, he should make this clearly avaailable in his literature, and website - something like 'Bigoted reactionary Scots with a pompous and arrogant attitudes to how others lead their lives NOT WELCOME!'would ensure that such people didn;t visit, and hence no conflict. As far as I am concerned, if you open a 'guest' house, you take guests, for money. If you want to dictate your guests' preferences in any area, try another line of business. i have actually e-mailed that sentiment to Mr Forrest, but to date I am without the courtesy of a reply. Perhaps bigotry, homophobia, attention-seeking, and crass ignorance require discourtesy to complete the set.

[archbishop]

Not so long ago it would have been an unmarried heterosexual couple that would have had this problem and 2 lads on a walking holiday wouldn't have raised an eyebrow.

[TommyC]

More tea, Vicar...?

[BOGWASH]

If the answers "cock robin" what's the question? What's that up my arse Batman?

[Tom Forrest]

Yes, under the circumstances I was right. It is my decision as to whom I shall or shall not allow to share a double bed in my house. Our establishment has in the past catered for members of the homosexual community, they have respected our policy and taken without fuss a twin bedded room. Nock and Martinon were trying to force a point expecting me to give into their threats of press etc, they went, and here we are now in a bloody ridiculous situation which no one will win. Case celebre? their choice not mine.

[BOGWASH]

Which one was the "pillow biter"

[BOGWASH]

Strikes me that just because the two old faggots couldn't get their way - they decided to "throw their toys out of the pram" So called "minority groups"seem to get better treatment than us "normal strait" people these days.

[blank]

my dad was completely right why should every hetrosexual under the sun have these issues forced in our faces gay pride gay marches gay clubs gay etc.. keep it to your self and respect the wishes of the majority being a poof is accepted but i dont think any hetrosexual understands and why should we we dont try to convert you so why do you try to convert us

[Bracher]

It would seem ignorance breeds ignorance. I am a heterosexual and I can fully understand what it means to love and want to be with another person; to want to spend my hard earned cash on a break in the Highlands. The ignorance shown by the previous comment is sad, bigotry is the evil force behind many of the worlds problems today. The Forrests are obviously an opinionated family and I assume would be the first to stick up for themselves if they felt they were being treated unfairly. To put themselves in the shoes of Nock and Martinon, they should try and consider how they'd feel if they were staying in a bed and breakfast but asked to have breakfast in the bedroom and not with other guests because of the colour of their skin. Because we have to remember that being gay is not a lifestyle 'choice', it is not a 'choice' at all. It's an integral part of who that person is. There's no question of conversion, that statement is a product of being scared of the unkown. If they are going to form opinions, they should make them a little more informed.

[BOGWASH]

Your the one that's wrong Bracher! You seem to insinuate that the Forrest's are racist? Who's the biggot now?

[Bracher]

No. Being gay is like the colour of skin. You can't change it so why treat people unfairly because of it?

[Bracher]

Strange you think I called you a racist! I called you a bigot, and not necessarily by your unusual definition. Sorry for turning this into personal diatribe. Hope someone else can provoke a more reasoned debate.